


All Over Again

by luxbuhree



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, There's some Fluff!, Time Rewind, angel - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-25 08:12:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14972906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luxbuhree/pseuds/luxbuhree
Summary: "I told you, I can help bring him back.""How?""I can turn back time to the night he died."*******A life cut too short. A person taken too fast. A love tested too much.When Shane said he'd do anything for Ryan, he meant it.





	1. The Coffee

_“BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.”_

“Shaddup,” murmured Shane sleepily.

 

He reached out blindly, trying to locate the snooze button on his digital alarm clock. He slapped his right hand down on various places on his bedside drawer yet continually failed to shut his alarm up. Finally accepting the fact that he had lost this round, he opened his eyes, raised his head from the softness of his pillow, and threw his alarm clock on the ground — the blaring sound stopped once it hit the floor. Shane glared at the green numbers flashing on the now quiet clock. It read 7:33.

 

Despite every cell of his body protesting, he begrudgingly pulled himself up from the bed. He took a few seconds to sit and enjoy the silence before standing up and stretching his long limbs. A few bones cracked in response. He reached for his phone and checked his messages. There were texts from his friends, all wishing him good luck for his first day on the job.

 

_“Bro, you got this! Give them the classic Madej charm.”_

_“SHANEEEEE THIS IS IT. GO GET ‘EM , TIGER!”_

_“lol gluck lozer. dont embarrass urself.”_

_“Try to find yourself someone to date!!! God knows you need it.._ _.”_

He smiled as he read each one, his sleepiness and initial morning grumpiness melting away with each word of encouragement. And though some messages made him roll his eyes, his heart felt lighter.

 

“Come on. It’s just another job — nothing to be afraid of. You might even make friends,” Shane hyped himself up. “You’re going to do great.”

 

***********

 

Shane stood outside of the BuzzFeed building. He held in his hands a blue storage box containing standard office supplies and some of his personal items.

 

“Just go inside,” he told himself. His legs, however, didn’t seem to want to cooperate.

 

“Hey buddy!” he heard someone say from behind him. He turned around to see a girl with a boycut bounding towards him. He started worrying that he had done something wrong until he saw the smile on her face.

 

“Uh, yeah?” he asked shyly.

 

“Are you Shane?” she asked, craning her neck to get a good look at his face.

 

He nodded and returned her smile.

 

“Hi! I’m Jen,” she introduced.

 

“Jen?” he repeated.

 

She nodded. “It’s short for Jenjamin.”

 

Shane stared at her, not sure how to respond to that.

 

“Oh, that’s—” he began to say but was cut off by her loud laughter.

 

“I’m just pulling your leg, newbie. Relax a little, okay? Everyone’s really nice,” she said as she stepped in front of him to open the main doors. She led him through a maze of desks and chairs, throwing around greetings to people they bumped into. Jen kept him entertained by providing amusing stories about her own experiences in BuzzFeed.

 

“Before I forget, how’d you know who I was?” Shane asked during a lull in the conversation.

 

“Ah, I was the one assigned to show you to your desk. They told me to look out for a tall fellow, and when I saw you, well, I just knew it was you. And here we are!”

 

They had stopped at a row of desks. His eyes zoned in on the one spot that had a computer but otherwise was barren. It was clean compared to his neighbor’s desk which was covered in sticky notes and littered with paper clips. He plopped down his box on the clear spot.

 

“Everything fine? Great! I have a meeting in ten minutes so I need to go,” Jen said. But noticing the sudden apprehension on Shane’s face, she added, “Don’t worry, okay? You’ll be sitting next to Ryan. He’s a great guy. I’m sure you boys will get along.”

 

With a brief wave of goodbye, she turned on her heels, leaving him to sit and stare at his box. He began unpacking and placing things in a random fashion on his desk. Once the essentials were arranged, he opened a browser and began working. He was so focused on his task that he didn’t notice that the spot beside him had been filled. He only noticed when a piece of paper slid near his hand. Glancing down, he read the note.

 

 _“Coffee?”_ it had written on it in black ink.

 

He looked to his left and felt his breath hitch at the sight of the most beautiful human being he had seen in his life. Seated there was a man with short black hair, a pair of dark shining eyes, and a bright smile that made his heart flutter. He was holding a mug of steaming hot coffee in one hand and a black pen in his other.

 

“U— uh— mm— yeah,” Shane stuttered, a blush creeping into his cheeks. He reached out to take the mug from him, the tips of his fingers brushing against the man’s. A jolt of static shot through his body, making Shane flinch and spill coffee on his hand.

 

“Shit!” he cursed, hurriedly placing the mug on his desk then rubbing at the tender spots on his skin.

 

The smile vanished from the man’s face, a look of frantic concern replacing it instead.

 

“Do you need ice? I’ll get you some ice! Oh fuck, was the coffee too hot? I shouldn’t have handed it to you. Oh my god, I burned the new guy. What the hell is wrong with me?” he panicked. The people around them started to stare at them, though, as Shane noticed, there were small smiles on their faces.

 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Shane tried to tell him. “It was my fault.”

 

“—I just wanted to do something nice and then this had to happen. Why do I have the rottenest luck? I can’t believe this,” he continued rambling.

 

Shane reached for the coffee mug and waved it carefully in front of the man’s face. He stopped panicking for a second.

 

“It’s not even hot! I was just overreacting,” Shane lied as he took a sip for show, tears springing in his eyes as the hot liquid scalded his tongue.

 

“You’re such a liar,” he deadpanned. “I’m pretty sure you just burned a hole in your throat.”

 

They stared at each other for a few seconds. Then, they burst out laughing. It took a few moments before they both calmed down.

 

“Ryan Bergara,” the man introduced, extending a hand toward Shane.

 

“So you’re the one Jen told me about?” Shane asked as he accepted his hand. “I’m Shane Madej.”

 

“What a first impression, huh?” Ryan nudged him. “Looks like the beginning of a promising friendship.”

 

“Hey, we’ve only known each other for about 10 minutes,” Shane bantered, even though his heart swelled at the thought of Ryan wanting to be his friend.

 

“Shane, you sweet summer child. Haven’t you ever heard the saying that coffee mates are for life?” Ryan smiled.

 

“Whatever you say, Bergara.”

 

And that was the day that started it all.


	2. The Bear

“Finally gonna stop being a wuss?” Jen asked as she perched herself on the edge of Ryan’s desk.

 

Shane glared at her but couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips. In his hand was a newly bought Paddington stuffed bear that he got for Ryan. He knew how much Ryan loved the film, despite his silly phobia of bears. He snorted loudly. Getting injected by heroine was a more rational fear.  

 

“I’m not a wuss. I just don't want to ruin our friendship,” Shane told her. “It’s not as if he’ll ever like me back. I’m just his Boot Bro, you know. His Berry Bro, his Ghoul Bro, his _bro_.”

 

Jen rolled her eyes. “And so? You don’t know for sure what he’s feeling. Maybe he wants to be your _bro_ -y friend.”

 

“We gotta stop saying bro,” Shane said, ignoring her terrible pun and remark about Ryan’s feelings. He turned the bear over and over in his hands, inspecting it for non-existent holes and tears. Once he was satisfied, he placed it back in its box and covered it with the lid.

 

He’d known Ryan for 3 years now. From acquaintances who were getting to know each other, to close pals who hung out regularly together, to best friends who co-hosted the series BuzzFeed Unsolved. And in those 3 years, he fell deeper and deeper in love with his best friend. But of course, he never told Ryan for fear that he’d ruin what they already had. He did tell Jen, though, who after Ryan was his closest friend. She’d been advising and counseling him ever since. In the past, he had no trouble burying his feelings. He could hang out with him without giving anything away, although he couldn’t stop his heart from beating furiously fast every time Ryan flashed him a smile. Now, however, every time he saw his friend, he was racked with the overwhelming desire to just confess then and there. Shane wanted to draw him close, feel his warmth, and kiss the living daylights out of him. He had compromised by giving Ryan small gifts and tokens now and then to lessen his impulse to grandly show his love for him.

 

“Speaking of, here he comes,” Jen informed him, immediately standing up and walking away. “Try not to pass out.”

 

Jen waved at Ryan as she passed him but only got a terse nod in return. She flashed a curious look at Shane before shrugging and heading into a different room. Shane felt a stab of concern as he saw how tired and stressed out Ryan look. The latter reached his desk silently, fell into his chair, then buried his face in his hands.

 

“Ryan? You okay, bud?” Shane asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Ryan seemed to ease into his touch — or maybe he was just imagining it.

 

“Remember Helen?” Ryan began.

 

Shane clamped his lips together and nodded. How could he forget? When they had started dating 2 years back, Shane had gone through his first major heartbreak. He had to keep it all in, of course, and continue being the supportive and cheerful friend that was expected of him. When they broke up a year later, Shane was there to pick up the broken pieces of Ryan’s heart.

 

“Well, she called me last night. She said she wanted to try again,” Ryan continued. “I couldn’t sleep all night. I mean, she broke my heart, Shane. You know how I was. But I got over it and now she’s telling me she wants to get back together?”

 

“I thought she wanted to focus on her career and so that’s why she broke up with you? What changed?” Shane questioned.

 

“She said she’s stable now and ready for a relationship. I’m— I don’t know what to do.”

 

“Do you still love her?” Shane said quietly, annoyed at the slight tremble in his voice.

 

Ryan lifted his face from his hands and looked at Shane. There was a flurry of emotions on his face.

 

“No,” he finally admitted. “I’m such a different person now from the Ryan she was with before. I was just taken by surprise by how random this is.”

 

“So what are you gonna do?”

 

Ryan sighed. “I’ll probably meet up with her for dinner tonight and talk. I’m not sure what’s going to happen but maybe I’ll get the closure that I need.”

 

Shane allowed himself to exhale. His chest was losing the heavy feeling from a while ago.

 

“Well, if you do need someone to chill with after, you can crash at my place. We can drown ourselves in beer and buttered popcorn,” Shane offered.

 

“I’d like that very much. Thanks for listening, Madej. I feel better.”

 

For the first time that day, Ryan smiled. Shane sucked in a huge breath as he stared at his best friend’s face. This was a sight he would happily look at every minute of the day.

 

“What’s that?” Ryan asked, pointing to the box that Shane had on his lap. He felt his cheeks warm up as he pushed it toward Ryan.

 

“I found some dried-up poo in the streets. It reminded me of you so I shoved it in a box for you,” Shane joked.

 

“Fuck you, Madej. If there’s really shit in here, I’m throwing it at you,” Ryan retorted.

 

“Oh, baby. That’s kinky,” Shane winked. It was Ryan’s turn to blush.

 

“Don’t call me baby,” he muttered.

 

Ryan lifted the lid from the box. His face went from apprehensive to surprised to absolutely delighted. He let out a squeal as he reached inside and brought out Paddington. He rubbed the material of the bear’s red hat and blue coat, all the while smiling like a maniac.

 

“Read the tag,” Shane suggested.

 

Ryan lifted the tag on Paddington’s coat and read it out loud. “I’m _bear-y_ happy to meet you, _Ryan_ _Beargara_.” He laughed and punched Shane lightly on the arm.

 

“That is a horrible pun,” he said.

 

“Really? Then give it back!”

 

“No!” Ryan held Paddington to his chest. “This is mine. I love it already.”

 

Shane wrestled the bear from him, then changing his voice to a higher pitch, he pretended to be Paddington.

 

“And I love you too _, Ryan Beargara_ ,” Shane said, holding Paddington in front of his face and using the bear’s arms to make a heart. “Even if Shane is so much better than you.”

 

Ryan glared at him but couldn’t keep it up, with his smile betraying his glare. Once again, he turned red and snatched the bear from Shane. “Thank you. I really appreciate this.”

 

“It’s no big deal,” Shane tried saying nonchalantly. “I’m glad you like it.”

 

With that, he smiled at Ryan one last time then turned to his desk. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ryan hug Paddington tightly before placing it right beside his computer.


	3. The Call

Shane was in the kitchen microwaving a bag of popcorn. He had a six-pack of beer chilling in his fridge, and _Evil Dead_ was already loaded up on the television. He was just waiting for Ryan.

 

On cue, his phone started ringing on the counter. Ryan’s picture was flashing on his screen. Shane wiped his buttery hands on a kitchen towel before grabbing it and answering the call.

 

“You’ve reached the Ghostbusters’ hotline. How may I assist you today?” Shane said into the phone.

 

“Ah, yes. I have information about the whereabouts of Sasquatch,” Ryan replied. “I believe he’s an employee of BuzzFeed under the alias Shane Madej.”

 

“Sorry, sir. This is Ghostbusters, not Squatchbusters.”

Ryan broke character and laughed. “You jackass! That sounds like a bad porn parody of Ghostbusters.”

 

Shane chuckled. “Still coming over? I’ve got everything set.”

 

“You bet. Frankly, I’m glad the dinner’s over. I’ll tell you about it when I get there.”

 

“Where are you?”

 

“I’m about 20 minutes away.”

 

“How are you getting here?”

 

“Oh, I’m walking there. I left the restaurant a few minutes back.”

 

“Ryan, it’s past 9 p.m.,” Shane said worriedly.

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Ryan assured. “I’m a big boy. I’m sure I can handle it.”

 

“Being 4-foot-10 isn’t big.”

 

“Shut up, Shane! It’s not my fault you’re descended from Slenderman.”

 

Shane laughed. “Just hurry, okay? And try not to get mugged.”

 

“All right, mom! I’d be way quicker if you stopped talking to me.”

 

“Excuse me, you’re the one who called me.”

 

“Just make sure that popcorn’s hot and buttery when I get there.”

 

“You got it.”

 

“See you!”

 

Shane ended the call and smiled fondly at his phone. He took a seat on the couch as he waited for the popcorn to finish.

 

Unbeknownst to him, that would be the last time he’d hear Ryan’s voice.

 

***********

 

_“Shane, it’s been two weeks. At least let us know you’re okay.”_

_“shane how’re you holding up? i’m always available to talk.”_

_“if u need us, we’re right here”_

_“Take all the time you need. Remember that we’re here for you when you’re ready.”_

Shane stared blankly at the most recent messages he received. He didn’t bother to read the rest of unanswered texts before turning off his phone and stowing it away in a drawer. He was sitting on the ground beside his bed, his back pressed against the frame. He stared at the floor, not knowing what else to do. He wanted to cry but found that he was unable to.

 

The first week after Ryan’s death was unimaginably painful. He wanted to appear strong but he couldn’t stop crying every time he remembered him. In the middle of the street. In the midst of a crowd. In his apartment when he was alone. He couldn’t go a single day without breaking down. The fact that he had lost Ryan — his best friend and the only person he had loved that deeply — in one night was too much to bear. It didn’t help that he blamed himself for his death. If only he hadn’t invited Ryan over, he would still be alive.

 

Shane remembered waiting in the living room for the knock on his door that would mean Ryan had arrived. He remembered calling his cell when he hadn’t arrived after 30 minutes. He remembered the ringtone going on and on. And he remembered hearing the knock on his door an hour later, rushing to the entrance, and opening it up to see Jake, Ryan’s brother, standing there with tears still fresh on his cheeks.

 

_“What’s wrong? Where’s Ryan?” Shane asked in a frenzy._

_Jake stood there motionless, his chest heaving with fast breaths._

_“Jake!” Shane shook him by the shoulders. “Where is he?”_

_“He’s gone, Shane,” Jake whispered. “He tried to help someone being mugged in an alleyway and got shot.”_

_Shane’s vision began to blur. The world around him seemed to be shrinking._

_“No… he can’t be gone…”_

_“He was dead by the time help came. Shane, I’m sorry. There was nothing anyone could do.”_

 

Though no one blamed him in the slightest for what happened, he couldn’t move past it. It didn’t matter that everyone said that it wasn’t his fault, because deep in his heart, Shane knew that it was.

 

As the days passed, he found himself being drained of all emotion. He had become numb. The sharp jabs in his chest had turned into dull throbs. The urge to break everything in sight had turned into the urge to lay down and do nothing. And now, he couldn’t even shed a single tear.

 

His eyes landed on a brown cargo box a few feet away from him. A few days after the funeral, Ryan’s parents had given the box to him. Inside were some of Ryan’s things that his parents wanted Shane to have. Ever since he got it, he was too afraid to open it.

 

He reached for it.

 

The first thing he saw when he opened the box was BuzzFeed Unsolved merchandise. Without saying, the series was discontinued. The higher-ups suggested that he take over the show but Shane knew he could never do that. He removed the tote bags and caps and placed them beside him. Next, he took out the complete Blu-ray collection of The X-Files followed by a ridiculous amount of colored sticky notes. As Shane reached into the box once again, his hand was met by something soft. He peered inside and saw Paddington staring back at him. Aside from a few creases on its hat, the bear looked the same. His hands shaking terribly, he lifted it from the box and held it tight against his chest. He felt a rush of emotion flow through his body. Tears followed soon after.

 

“Ryan…” he sobbed, curling up into a fetal position.

 

An hour later, Shane was fast asleep. He had tired himself out from all the crying. Still clutched in his arms was Paddington, its fuzzy head pressed against his cheek. Watching him sleep was Jen, seated on the bed, a look of pure sympathy on her face.

 

“Rest now,” she said. “We’ll talk in a while.”


	4. The Dream

Shane knew he was dreaming.

 

In his dream, he was in a coffee shop. Ryan Bergara was seated across from him, daintily sipping from a cup of coffee.

 

“I love you,” Shane told Dream Ryan.

 

“I love you too,” he replied with a smile.

 

They began leaning into each other, their eyes fluttering close as they drew near. Before their lips could touch, Shane felt a sudden cold that made him open his eyes. Ryan was nowhere to be found. Taking his place was Jen.

 

Shane groaned.

 

“Hey, sorry to cut your kiss short but I need to talk to you,” Jen said. “And before you wave me away, I’m not part of the dream.”

 

“What?” Shane asked confused.

 

“Look, do you want Ryan back or not?”

 

“Of course I do! But I can’t have him back. He’s gone. He’s never coming back,” Shane said. “Why am I even talking to you? Why can’t I just have normal dreams like normal people.”

 

“I told you, I’m not part of your dream!”

 

Shane scoffed. “So what? You just magically jumped into my dream? I can’t believe my own mind is playing tricks on me.”

 

“This isn’t a trick,” Jen sighed. “I’m an angel.”

 

There was a pregnant pause before Shane burst out laughing.

 

“Okay, it’s time for me to wake up now. I’m clearly losing it.”

 

Jen glared at him. “Fine. Wake up. And when you do, you’ll see that I’m not lying.”

 

“Oh, sure,” Shane dismissed.

 

 _"Wake up!"_ a disembodied voice yelled.

 

Shane jolted awake. Paddington went flying from his arms as he bolted upright.

 

“Believe me now?”

 

He shrieked as Jen stared down at him. There was a smirk playing on the corner of her lips.

 

“What are you doing here? How’d you even get in here?” Shane questioned.

 

“As I’ve said before, I’m an angel. Trust me, doors and walls can’t stop me,” she said.

 

“Angel? Look, I’m not stupid. Depressed and empty, yes. But not stupid.”

 

“Oh, Madej. You’ve spent months doing Unsolved with Ryan. You should at least know by now that there’s more to this universe than just you.”

 

“Those are all bullshit! Ghosts aren’t real. Demons aren’t real. And angels sure as hell aren’t real,” he yelled as he stood up and towered over her. “Whatever prank you’re playing, you need to stop! It’s hard to cope as it is.”

 

Jen lost the smirk. She knew that being abrasive wasn’t going to make Shane believe her. And underneath his snarky remarks, he was still hurting.

 

“Shane, listen to me. I know this goes against everything you believe in but at least try to hear me out. Do it for Ryan,” she pleaded. “You’ve known me for years. You know I would never lie to you about something like this.”

 

It was hearing Ryan’s name more than anything that made him calm down. He collapsed next to Jen, who placed a hand on his back.

 

“Am I losing it?” he asked.

 

“No. You’re perfectly sane.”

 

“And you’re really an angel?”

 

Jen stood up and revealed her wings to him. Shane gazed in awe. Her wings weren’t like the typical feathery butterfly-shaped wings that everyone thought of. They looked as if they were made of golden light. They were so bright that it almost hurt his eyes.

 

“Oh my god,” Shane finally said as Jen retracted her wings.

 

“Yeah, he exists too. But we shan’t talk about that,” Jen said merrily.

 

“Why’d you only tell me now? And why is an angel working in BuzzFeed?”

 

“First of all, you were never supposed to know. I was tasked to gather information about humans. Just gather, not inform. I needed to blend in with humanity if I wanted to have firsthand experience. Basically, BuzzFeed is just a cover,” Jen explained. “Any more questions?”

 

“If I’m not supposed to know about you, then why are you telling me?” Shane asked.

 

Jen bit her lip and looked down. “Because I can’t stand seeing you like this. Because you’re a good person and you deserve to be happy. Because Ryan is a beautiful human soul who was taken too soon. Because you belong together.”

 

“We belong together?” Shane echoed.

 

“He loved you as much as you loved him. The day he died was supposed to be the night you finally found out.”

 

“He loves me,” Shane whispered, smiling for the first time. It quickly faded as he remembered reality. “It doesn’t matter. He’s gone.”

 

“I told you, I can help bring him back,” Jen said, clearly exasperated.

 

“How?”

 

“I can turn back time to the night he died. You can try to save him, but I can only give you a short amount of time to do it. I’m already breaking a lot of rules just by revealing myself to you.”

 

Shane felt his heart leap in his chest. Hope quickly filled the emptiness left by Ryan’s death. Here was an actual chance to have him back.

 

“I don’t care how short the time. As long as there’s a chance I can save him, I’ll take it,” Shane decided. “But what if I fail? What if he dies anyway?”

 

“Then there’s nothing else I can do. This is your only chance.”

 

Shane nodded in understanding. He was already lucky to have one opportunity. It would be too much to ask for another.

 

“And Jen, there’s a catch isn’t there? There’s a condition to this? Is it my soul or something?”

 

Jen smiled sadly at him. “Yes, but it’s not your soul or anything morbid like that. We’re not demons.”

 

“What is it then?” Shane asked slowly. He was starting to feel dread at the answer.

 

“If you succeed in saving Ryan, time will rewind to a period where you haven’t met each other yet. All memories you have of each other will be wiped. People will forget anything that has to do with the both of you. In short, you’ll live your life as if the past 3 years hadn’t happened.”

 

“That’s fine then! I’ll just end up applying in BuzzFeed again and we’ll meet and—” he trailed off at the sight of Jen’s frown.

 

“When I say that time will rewind, I don’t mean that you’ll relive everything. If that happened, then Ryan would just die all over again and we’d be back to square one. If you succeed, things will be different from your life now. You might never meet Ryan in your lifetime. Every step you took ever since you met Ryan has led to this reality. If you want a reality where he’s alive, I’ll have to push you to a path that’s different from the one you’re on now. Do you understand?”

 

Shane’s hope vanished. Even if he did bring Ryan back, they might not even see each other again. He would forget him. He would lose him one more time.

 

But he loved him enough to know that Ryan’s life was more important than them being together. Shane would forget him in his next lifetime, but in this lifetime, he’d know that he did all he could for the person he loved.

 

“I’ll do it,” Shane said.

 

“Are you absolutely sure?” Jen confirmed.

 

“Yes. I’d do anything for him,” he told her. “Whatever it takes.”

 

“One last thing. You cannot reveal anything to Ryan. If you do, the deal will be void.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Jen snapped her fingers.


	5. The Alley

_“Hello? Are you listening to me, Shane?”_

 

Shane came to in front of the microwave, just as he had been the night Ryan died. He glanced around to make sure he was actually there.

 

“Shane? Cat got your tongue or something?”

 

He realized that he was holding a phone to his ear.

 

“Ryan? Is that you?” Shane asked, his voice thick with emotion. Hearing Ryan's voice again was like taking the first breath of fresh air after being trapped underground. 

 

“No, it’s Bigfoot— well, duh, it’s me! Why do you sound so weird? Have you been crying?”

 

“I just—” Shane cut off, unsure of what to say.

 

“Just wait for me, okay?”

 

“Wait! Ryan, no! Where are you?” Shane yelled frantically into the phone.

 

“Ouch, don’t shout. I just passed the deli shop we always order from. Why?”

 

“Ryan, stay where you are!” Shane said as he stopped the timer on the microwave before rushing out the door.

 

“What? Shane, you’re acting _really_ crazy. Anyways, I’m about 20 minutes away. See you soon. Bye!”

 

“No!” Shane screamed, but Ryan had already hung up on him.

 

“Shit,” he cursed.

 

Shane speeded down the stairs, out the apartment’s entrance, and bounded down the pavement. He knew the alleyway where Ryan had been killed, being as he had gone to the exact spot in the days after his death. Hopefully, he could get there before Ryan. Shane shouted out apologies to the people he bumped into as he ran down the street. Hailing a cab was out of the question. The roads were filled with Friday night traffic. And so he ran the fastest he had ever ran, knowing that Ryan’s life depended on it.

 

He finally reached the street where the alleyway intersected with. Unlike the other places, the human activity here was significantly lesser. He saw a figure on the other end of the street. Shane could recognize that silhouette from anywhere.

 

“Ryan!” he yelled his loudest.

 

“Shane?” he heard in reply.

 

“Help!” a woman screamed.

 

The voice had come from the alleyway. Shane ran toward the source at the same time Ryan did. He put on an extra burst of speed, desperate to reach her first. Unfortunately, Ryan was closer and Shane watched as he disappeared into the corner.

 

A few seconds later, he turned into the alley. He saw Ryan wrestling the woman’s purse from a hooded man.

 

“Ryan! No!” Shane warned.

 

The hooded man turned toward him in surprise. In that moment, Ryan was able to pull the purse away from him. In Shane’s mind, everything went into slow motion. He saw the hooded man reach into his back pocket for his gun. He saw the man point it at Ryan’s chest. He saw Ryan’s eyes widen in shock and fear. Then there Shane was, throwing himself in front of Ryan just as the man shot the gun.

 

Shane felt a searing pain in his right shoulder as he crashed into the ground. He could hear the sound of rapid footsteps as the mugger ran away.

 

“Call for help!” he heard Ryan yell at the woman.

 

“Shane? Baby? Look at me.”

 

His vision focused on Ryan who had tears in his eyes. He was leaning over him, both hands pressed against his wound, trying to stanch the blood flow.

 

“Don’t call me baby,” Shane said weakly.

 

“You idiot. Now’s not the time,” Ryan cried out. “Stay with me. Help’s on the way.”

 

“’Tis just a scratch.”

 

Ryan laughed though tears were streaming down his face. “You’re such a Sasquatch.”

 

“I’m not going to die,” Shane assured. “But I think I’m going to pass out in twenty seconds.”

 

“Don’t say that! What if you don’t wake up?”

 

“Don’t be dramatic, Bergara. But if I do die and become a ghost, make sure I make it into Unsolved. What a season finale, eh?” he joked, more for Ryan’s benefit than his own.

 

“Shut up. Just shut up. You’re not going to die. I won’t allow it,” Ryan said.

 

Ryan’s face was going in and out of focus. Shane knew he had to get this out while he was still conscious.

 

“I love you,” Shane said as he reached out a hand to brush at Ryan’s face. “I’ve been in love with you ever since I spilled coffee on myself the first time we met.”

 

Ryan pressed his cheek against Shane’s hand. A sob escaped from his lips. “I love you too, you dummy. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it. I was going to tell you tonight.”

 

“All that matters is you told me now,” he said as darkness pulled at the edge of his vision. “Ryan, would you do the honor of bestowing a kiss upon a mere Sasquatch who is hopelessly in love with you?”

 

Ryan sniffled. “This 4-foot-10 midget who is also hopelessly in love with you accepts your request.”

 

He leaned down carefully, making sure that he wasn’t hurting Shane. Shane cupped his face gently, and with a smile, closed the gap. He forgot about the burning pain in his shoulder. All he felt was Ryan’s lips against his. It was even better than anything he had ever imagined.

 

For a few seconds, their mouths moved in harmony with each other.

 

Then the next moment, Shane was spiraling down an abyss of darkness.


	6. The Reset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I know this is very short, but I'll make up for it tomorrow. This is the final chapter of the story, and the next one will be the Epilogue. Enjoy!

“Jen, I’m so bored,” Shane complained to his co-worker.

 

The coffee shop they worked at was completely empty. It was past 7 o’clock and no one seemed to want coffee.

 

“What do you want me to do?” Jen asked sarcastically.

 

“Can’t we close up early? I’m sure no one’s coming in any time soon,” he complained.

 

Jen gave him a knowing smile, as if she knew something he didn’t.

 

“I’m gonna take a break, okay?” she said, already taking off her apron.

 

“Huh? Why do you get a break? Don’t leave me here alone!”

 

“Tsk, Shane. Afraid of ghosts?” Jen teased.

 

“Ghosts aren’t real, Jen. I’m more afraid a murderer might creep into the shop and kill me.”

 

Jen rolled her eyes and walked out the door. “Be back in a few!” she called back to him.

 

Shane sighed and slumped against the counter. He was so tired of working as a cashier and barista in this run-down coffee shop, but life didn’t provide him with a lot of options. He closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to get back home and fall into his bed.

 

“Excuse me? Are you still open?”

 

He popped open an eye and saw a man wearing a pair of aviators standing near the entrance. Shane immediately leapt up from his seat and stood against the counter.

 

“Yes! Open! Hello!” Shane said stupidly. He mentally slapped himself for being so flustered. There was something about this stranger that made his heart jump.

 

“I’m sorry,” he tried again. “Yes, we’re open.”

 

The man stood frozen in his place.

 

“Sir? Are you okay?” Shane asked.

 

The man frowned then walked toward him. He slowly removed his sunglasses. Shane inhaled sharply. He was the most beautiful human being he had ever seen. And somehow, he felt like he had seen him before.

 

“Do I know you?” they both asked at the same time.

 

They paused then laughed.

 

“I— I think I’ve met you,” the man said.

 

“I don’t think so,” Shane replied, although he felt the same way. “I think I’d remember meeting you.”

 

A blush crept into the man’s cheeks.

 

“Ryan Bergara,” he introduced.

 

“Shane Madej.”

 

“Well, Shane. Two coffees please,” Ryan ordered.

 

“Two?” Shane asked disappointedly. “Are you waiting for someone?”

 

Ryan nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be waiting for you to join me. I’d really appreciate the company.”

 

Shane felt a smile creeping on his face but he tried to hide it.

 

“Who says I want to join you?” he threw at Ryan.

 

“Shane!” said Ryan, looking scandalized. “What a rude thing to say to your new friend!”

 

“We just met each other!” Shane exclaimed.

 

“Haven’t you heard the saying?” Ryan asked as he flashed him a smile. “Coffee mates are for life.”


	7. The End

**_ EPILOGUE (3 YEARS LATER) _ **

 

“Shane, it’s cold as fuck. What are we doing here?” Ryan complained.

 

They were in an empty park in the middle of the night. Ryan shivered as the cold wind blew on their faces.

 

Unbeknownst to them, they had an audience. Jen watched from afar as Shane got on one knee. She smiled at the look of extreme surprise on Ryan’s face.

 

“Shane…” Ryan trailed off.

 

“What? I’m just tying my shoelaces,” Shane replied as he tightened the laces of his boots.

 

“I hate you so much.”

 

Shane laughed, stood up, brushed the dirt from his jeans, and walked toward a nearby tree.

 

“Where are you going? Come back!” Ryan shrieked, scrambling after Shane, who had vanished behind the tree. He reappeared by the time Ryan got there, holding a large box in his hands.

 

“What’s that?” Ryan asked curiously.

 

“Open it,” said Shane as he thrust the box into Ryan’s hands.

 

Ryan narrowed his eyes at Shane. He grew suspicious of the unexpected gift, but his curiosity won over. He took off the lid slowly, then squealed as he saw a Paddington stuffed bear inside. It had the complete outfit —  a red hat and blue coat. He dropped the box as he hugged the bear to his chest.

 

“I can’t believe you found this! It’s supposed to be really hard to get!” Ryan exclaimed.

 

“Read the tag.”

 

Ryan turned over the tag on Paddington’s coat. With nothing but the lights from the streetlamps, he had to squint his eyes to make out the words.

 

“Ryan _Beargara_ , I love you _bear-y_ much,” he read aloud. He rolled his eyes.

 

“This pun blows—” he looked up to glare at Shane but found that he was on bended knee instead.

 

“Shane, I swear to god, if you say you’re tying your shoelace again, I’m leaving you,” Ryan threatened.

 

Shane smiled lovingly at him. His heart was filled with so much love and joy for this man who was gazing down at him. He took Ryan’s hand.

 

“Before I met you, I felt like there was something missing in my life — something that I couldn’t figure out what no matter how hard I tried,” Shane began. “Then, you came into my life and I realized what it was. _It was you_. I don’t know how but it’s like my heart already knew that you were the one who’d complete me. There are a lot of things that remain a mystery to me — things that I may never get the answer to — but if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that we belong together.”

 

Shane pulled out a box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a golden band.

 

“Ryan Steven Bergara, will you marry me?”

 

Ryan stood there, tears streaming down his face. He hastily wiped them away using Paddington as a tissue.

 

“Shane Alexander Madej, you are such a Sasquatch,” he sniffled. “And such a cheese ball.”

 

Shane raised an eyebrow in amusement.

 

“Yes, you dummy,” Ryan answered. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

 

Shane fitted the ring onto Ryan’s finger then let out a whoop as he stood up.

 

“Why are you crying?” Shane teased. “I didn’t realize I had such a way with words.”

 

“I take it back. You can go marry yourself!”

 

“Baby, I’m just kidding!”

 

“Don’t call me baby!”

 

Jen laughed as the two continued to bicker. She had tried her hardest to make sure that they found each other in this lifetime. However, she couldn’t take credit for the whole thing. Shane and Ryan really did belong to each other. Not even the forces of heaven could keep them apart.

 

“My job here is done,” Jen said to herself before vanishing.

 

In the distance, the two were still bickering.

 

“Say that ghosts are real or I won’t marry you!” Ryan yelled at Shane.

 

“Ghosts _aren’t_ real, Ryan,” Shane sighed. “Ugh, I can’t believe I’m in love with a Boogara.”

 

“Say it!”

 

“No!”

 

“Fine! Just kiss me already!”

 

Shane trapped Ryan in his arms, one hand grazing his cheek gently.

 

“I still can’t believe I found you,” Shane told him. “I must have done something right to deserve you.”

 

He captured Ryan’s lips with his own. Everything about this was familiar to him —  the taste of Ryan’s mouth, the scent of him, the feel of him against his body. This was far from the first time they kissed, but he still felt the same spark that had always been there since the beginning.

 

“I love you,” Ryan breathed into him.

 

Shane smiled against his lips and pulled him even closer. He was unsure of what the future would bring for the two of them, but at this moment, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he was Ryan’s and Ryan was his. Whatever happened, they’d always find each other in the end.

 

_FIN._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is finally it. Thank you so much for staying until the very end. I really hoped you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feel free to chime off in the comments about anything (e.g. story prompts)! 
> 
> Goodbye for now! :')


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